Alchemy S modification

I gave evolved into liking lower volume, very snug fitting boats. I am 5’11" 185lbs. I have an Alchemy S that I have moved the seat back, modified the thigh pads and installed a WW style bulkhead foot rest.

The problem is the stiffener channel that runs down the bottom of the hull. My size 11.5 shoes catch the center rib when I want to relax and move my legs around. The stiffener is not bonded to the hull, it is wedged on the front under a foam pillar near the very front bulkhead, and at the rear by wedge under the seat pan. If it were easy to replace it after removal I would try it out and replace it; but is would be a major PITA to replace if the boat really got flexible.

I wear Merril Manatee shoes that are nearly as low clearance as wet socks, and I need the protection from rocks and zebra mussels that shred neoprene style wet shoes.



Eventually this will be a rock garden boat once my skill set grows. Am I looking at folding up the Alchemy by removing the stiffener?

Shorten it?
Can you shorten it and install a foam block b/w it and the deck between your calves? Then, cut a little off the bottom of the foam block, like a tunnel from side to side where your heels are?



My WW boats are like that - the plastic stiffener runs to my calves, then I have a foam block from there towards the bow. I suppose I have long legs so my feet are forward of the plastic stiffener, but I did have to shave off a bit of foam on each side of the foam where my heels are so that I can fit in a V position without pressure against the foam…

I Doubt Anything Will Fold
I took out that stiffening hardware when I moved the seat back. I figured the risk was a dent (oilcan). So far so good. I’m not sorry I took it out.

I’ve taken the stiffener out…
took the seat out & replaced it with a foam seat and have had no problems with oil canning. You’ve got 30# on me and two shoe sizes, so I don’t know how you fit in the S, but if it works for you that’s what counts. The stiffener is pretty short to begin with, so I doubt it’d do much in any incident severe enough to fold the boat IMO.



All the best, tOM

my heels almost touch,
and my legs are not as “frogged out” like in a WW boat. I am just thinking if the bottom was smooth I could relax a little by sliding my feet around a little.

I Have a Vague, Foggy Memory…

– Last Updated: Apr-02-13 8:58 AM EST –

seems like the biggest pain was reaching up toward the bow and getting that foam pillar thingy out. It was glued in pretty good.

I was lucky
Once I moved the seat back, the foam block was in the perfect position to use it for a rear attachment point for the footrest bulkhead.

One of the main reasons I had to move backwards was not room for my legs, it was to keep my feet back, out of the nose where the boat gets slender fast.

Be careful…
If you do not have secure footrests/footboard that is bolted to the hull and is using the pillar instead, the pillar will end up pushing against the front compartment bulkhead and the seal will be compromised. I let a friend use my Alchemy S and he shoved the footboard all the way forward to the point it di exactly that.



All the best, YMMV, tOM

I duplicated the rack system
that is in my Pyranha fusion using aluminum strapping and an old spare LL foot board I trimmed to fit, (I never throw spare parts out). It was just a lucky accident that the foot board sits snug against the foam pillar.